Suffering & Sacrifice: Apostles

1. John died of extreme old age exiled to the island of Patmos.

2. Judas Iscariot, after betraying his Lord, hanged himself.

3. Peter was crucified; head downward, during the persecution of Nero.

4. Andrew died on a cross at Patrae, a Grecian Colony.

5. James, the younger, son of Alphaeus, was thrown from a pinnacle of the

Temple, and then beaten to death with a club.

6. Bartholomew was flayed alive in Albanapolis, Armenia.

7. James, the elder son of Zebedee, was beheaded at Jerusalem.

8. Thomas, the doubter, was run through the body with a lance at

Coromandel, in the East Indies.

9. Philip was hanged against a pillar at Heropolis.

10. Thaddeus was shot to death with arrows.

11. Simon died on a cross in Persia (what we now call Iran.)

12. Matthew was first stoned and then beheaded.

What sacrifices! And I ask you why? Why did they choose to die this way?

Why desert your father and mother, your wife and child, and your home?

Why put up with the constant humiliation, and hunger,

and persecution, and defeat town after town after town?

I'll tell you why, because, in the words of Apostle Paul,

they were held captive by the words and teachings of Jesus Christ.

It is Paul's way of saying they were slaves to Christ.

It is quite likely we shall never be tested to the extent

that the disciples were but there are some ways

to gauge our commitment. Let's look at a couple this morning.

1.  Sacrifice is a sign of mature commitment.

2.  Hospitality is a sign of discipleship.

3.  A cup of water is a sign that Christ is welcome.